In many ways this week is a time of great celebration in the West as LNG Canada has been given the go-ahead by its partners in the project, bringing a much-needed shot in the arm for the energy industry and the economy in general. Not only will Canada be the beneficiary of $40 Billion of capital investment and a significant boost to the labour pool, there will be a lot of spin off benefits associated with this project in the form of supporting businesses and the like. This project also [Read more]
Op Ed: My Open Letter to the Senate of Canada on Bill C-69
Dear Senator, I am writing you today to implore you to stop Bill C-69. As a Senator you have the power to apply sober second thought to this legislation and do what is right for Canada. I have been involved in the energy sector over the past 25 years in a variety of facets, from the raising of capital (Managing Director of Institutional Research) through to the deployment of that capital (Chief Financial Officer of a private oil and gas producer). Over those years I have come to understand [Read more]
Op Ed: My open letter on “subsidies” in the energy industry
As someone who works in the oil and gas industry, my fatigue at the rhetoric percolating around the country piqued when the discussion of “subsidies” once again reared its head. According to a headline in the National Post, “Canada's billions in fossil fuel subsidies to go under the microscope”, the Government will take a step towards its promise of getting rid of fossil fuel subsidies. As someone who has the responsibility of managing the finances of my company, I can say that this sort of [Read more]
The transition from gas-powered to electric vehicles is easier said than done
Governments have never been a creator of wealth, nor an efficient distributor of resources, so when a government comes in and implements a tax for our betterment we should all have a healthy degree of skepticism. Over time, energy systems will change and new forms will come into play. That said, any of the leading prognosticators will tell you that oil consumption will be increasing for at least the next decade or so. Canada has, despite what you hear in the media, some of the best [Read more]